Water-heater.



A. S. CUBITT.

WATER HEATER.

APPLICATION FILED N0v.26, 1910.

1,171,929. Pand 1161151916.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD S. CUBITT, OF PITTSFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

WATER-HEATER.

the provision of a device of this characterA inwhich the temperature towhich the water is raised may be regulated in a simple and efficientmanner.

My invention in one of its aspects 'comprises an electric water heaterin which the flow of water is controlled by\the temperature to which thewater is raised. In this aspect my invention is applicable to waterheaters cf the continuous flow tvpe. As applied to this type of heater,my invention takes the form of a governor or controller which causes theflow of water to vary with the temperature of the water. Thisgovernormay be in the nature of a thermostatically controlled valvewhich, as the water heats, opens so as to increase the flow and therebymaintain a practically constant temperature. A i

In another aspect my invention relates to water heaters of the type inwhich the water is heated by passing the electric current through thewater. In one form I provide an electrolytic water heater in which thewater passage between the electrodes is controlled thermostatically. Inone specific embodiment I arrange the electrodes so that they are bothfixed, and a movable bridging or connecting member is provided. Themovable member is carried by a thermostatic element which is subjectedto the temperature of the heated water. As the water changes intemperature ,the thermostatic element will bend back and forthandthereby move the member so as to vary the water passage and thus changethe temperature of the water and have a. tendency-to keep it constant. n

Other objects and purposes of my invenvention will appear in the courseof the vfollowingspecification kin which I have disclosed my inventionembodied in concrete form for purposes of' illustration.

In the accompanying drawing disclosing one form of my invention, Figure1 is a Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916'.

Application tiled November 26, 1910. Serial No. 594,276.

longitudinal section of my device; and Fig.

2 is a section on the line 2--2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring t0 the drawings, 10 represents a metallic casing through whichthe water.

to be heated flows. This casing I have shown of angular form composed oftwo parts connected by a water-tight joint at 11. .The two ends of thiscasing are reduced 1n dlameter, as shown, to receive the intake pipe 12and the discharge pipe 13. Mounted in the horizontal portion of thecasing, which is larger than the vertical portion, are a pair ofelectrodes 14. ,These electrodes, which may be of carbon or othersuitable material, are made wedge-shaped and are secured in the casingso as to leave a tapered or ,Wedge-shaped space between them. The'electrodes are insulated from the casing and secured thereto by thescrews 15. Terminals'l pass through the casing into electrical contactwith the electrodes and are insulated from the casing. i

In the vertical portion of the casing there is mounted a thermostaticelement 17 which may be made in any well-knownmanner, as, for instance,`by securing together strips of materials having different coefficientsof expansion, as, for instance, iron and brass. This thermostaticelement is mounted in a block of insulating material 18 secured withinthe casing, the block being cut away` on four sides as at 19, so as topermit the water to pass through it. The thermostatic element is securedto' this block by clamping member 20 which has a jaw at one end forreceiving the element while the other end is inserted in the insulatingblock. Upon the upper end of the thermostatic element is an electricconducting member 21 which is wedge-shaped to correspond withtheadjacent faces of the electrodes. This lmember, which may likewise beof carbon, partially closes the passage between the electrodes and bymoving the member in and out of theppassage, the size of the passage forthe water between the electrodes may be varied and the effectivepassagearea decreased or increased.4 This member 21 therefore acts as aregulator, and in coperation with the fixed members constitutes a valve.

When the water which enters through the pipe 12 passes between theelectrodes 14, which are connected with a source of current, it isheated. .The current passes from ture of the water moves the member 21outwardly so as to enlarge the passages between the electrodes and themember. This, of course, reduces the temperature of the water. Likewise,when the water becomes too cold the member is moved inward, therebyincreasing the temperature of the water. In this way the water can bekept at a practically consta-nt temperature.

It is obvious, of course, that the particular arrangement oftheelectrodes and-the provision ofthe regulating member are notessential to my invention, the main feature of which is in theregulation of the temperature of the water by automatically adjustingthe size of the passage for the water,

smce various modifications of my invention will suggest themselves tothose skilled in/ the art without departing from the spirit of myinvention, the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is

1. A water heater comprising a member defining a passage through whichwater flows to be heated, electrical means associated with said memberforl heating the water, and means controlled by the temperature of theheated water for varying the effective area of said passage.

2. A water heater comprising a member defining a passage through which'water flows to be heated, electrical means located within said passagefor heating the water, and means controlled by the temperature of theheated water in said passage for varying. the effective area of saidpassage.

3, An electric water heater comprising electrodes between which waterpasses to be heated, and means responsive to changes 1n temperature forVarylng the effective passage area between said electrodes.

4. An electric water heater comprising a pair of conducting membersbetween which water passes to be heated, and means responsive' tochanges in temperature for Varying the position of said members withreference to each other. 5. An electric water heater comprising a fixedand a movable conducting member between which water passes to'be heated,and means responsive tochanges in temperature for moving said movablemember with reference to said fixed member.

6. An electric water heater comprising a pair of conducting membersbetween which water passes to be heated, and a thermostatic elementsupporting one of said members so as to move it with reference to theother member.

7. An electric water heater comprising a pair of electrodes spacedapart, an electrical conductingv member located in said space, and meansresponsive to changes in temperature for varying the eective passagearea between said member and said electrodes.

8. An electric water heater comprising a pair of electrodes spacedapart, a thermostatic element, and a conducting member between saidelectrodes and moved by said element upon changes of temperature.

9. An electric water heater comprising a pair of electrodes having atapered space between them, a conducting member located in said space,and means responsive to changes in temperature for varying the effectivepassage area between the electrodes andsaid member.

10. An electric water heater comprising ARCHIBALD s. CUBITT.

Witnesses:

WM. MAYNARD, J. C. MUsGRovE.

